Jgopening Statement Youth Promise Act

OPENING STATEMENT of CM JIM GRAHAM (WARD ONE) B18-367 “YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT PROMISE ACT OF 2009” •

THANK YOU CHAIRMAN THOMAS AND MENDELSON FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE AND THE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT PROMISE ACT OF 2009”

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I AM PLEASED TO CO-INTRODUCE THIS BILL WITH COUNCILMEMBERS THOMAS AND MICHAEL BROWN.

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THE YOUTH PROMISE ACT BEING PROPOSED BY CONGRESSMAN BOBBY SCOTT’S BILL ALSO IS VERY PROMISING

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I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM OUR WITNESSES AND THEIR EXPERIENCES ON THIS ISSUE.

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WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE IN THE DISTRICT SUCH A WEALTH OF RESOURCES AND COMMITTED ORGANIZATIONS TO WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.

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I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND ALL OF US OF THE BLUE PRINT FOR ACTION THAT I AUTHORED FUNDING FOR AND WAS RELEASED THIS SUMMER.

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CHAIRMAN GRAY AND COUNCILMEMBERS MENDELSON AND EVANS JOINED ME IN JUNE IN RELEASING THE BLUE PRINT.

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THE COUNCIL WAS QUICK TO INCLUDE THE FIRST 2 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BLUE PRINT IN THE OMNIBUS PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE BILL.

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I KNOW THE MAYOR IS TAKING ACTION TO IMPLEMENT THIS PORTION OF THE CRIME BILL. SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE: O ESTABLISH A HIGH LEVEL GANG AND CREW INTERVENION JOINT WORKING GROUP OF KEY COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES DETERMINED BY THE MAYOR, INCLUDING THE FOCUS IMPROVEMENT TEAMS, DYRS AND COURT SOCIAL SERVICES. O ALIGN EXISTING RESOURCES INTO A COORDINATED CITYWIDE GANG INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION STRATEGY;

O MAP AND IDENTIFY UNSOLVED GANG HOMICIDES OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS AND IDENTIFY YOUNG PEOPLE MOST AT RISK OF RETALIATION OR WOULD TAKE RETALIATION INTO THEIR OWN HANDS. O IMPLEMENT A CITYWIDE PROTOCOL THAT WOULD RESPOND TO GANG VIOLENCE INCIDENTS WITHIN 24 HOURS IN ORDER TO PREVENT RETALIATIONS; O WORK CLOSELY WITH MPD GANG INTELLIGENCE UNIT ON STREET LEVEL INTELLIGENCE.

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WITH FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORKING GROUP, AND OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THE BLUE PRINT, ALONG WITH PREVENTION INITIATIVES LIKE THE YOUTH PROMISE ACT, I AM CONFIDENT WE WILL MAKE AN UNPRECEDENTED IMPACT ON TRANSFORMING LIVES.